Connor Martin – Republic County
The Heart and Soul of the Defense
Republic County’s defense had a clear heartbeat this season, and it wore No. 22. Senior outside linebacker Connor Martin was the “everywhere” player for the Buffaloes, erasing space with his range and giving the unit its edge.
Head coach Jesse Hodgson put it plainly in his nomination. “Connor was the heart and soul of our defense. He missed the first game of the year but still lead the team in almost every defensive category. Connor had 110 total tackles, with 43 of those being solo tackles. He had 12 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 5 INT’s and two of those were for TDs. He also caused 2 fumbles and recovered 1 of them. As an OLB Connor was all over the field. Connor is 6-2 180-pound, senior.”
Those numbers show a true playmaker, not just a cleanup tackler. With 110 stops, 12 tackles for loss, five interceptions (two returned for scores) and multiple forced turnovers, Martin changed games from the second level. His 6-foot-2, 180-pound frame and range let him impact the run and pass, making him the defensive standard for Republic County.
